Neighborhood Guide: Cherry Creek, Denver

Cherry Hill, Denver is one of the most upscale urban neighborhoods in the city with world-class amenities, restaurants, and shopping to choose from. Cherry Creek is also home to a thriving arts district with 20 art galleries, hundreds of businesses, and live theater. Ready to make the move to Denver's Cherry Creek neighborhood? Get to know the area and make yourself at home with our handy guide with everything you need to know about Cherry Creek.

Cherry Creek's History

The Arapaho Native Americans named the area Cherry Creek for its abundance of chokecherries nestled along the creek. The neighborhood also has roots from the gold rush era where it served as a prime route stretching from the Missouri River to Denver. By the late 1880s, Cherry Creek was still sparsely populated, though the area was soon developed into farmland along "Harman's Subdivision" by Judge Edwin P. Harman. Today you can still see a private house in Cherry Hill with a plaque bearing the words, "Harman Town Hall" at 4th and St. Paul.

What’s Cherry Creek Like Today?

With the help of Harman, Cherry Hill, Denver saw some of its first development and today is one of the most desirable places to live in Denver with upscale homes, apartment complexes, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks for a decidedly upscale urban feel. The Cherry Creek neighborhood, Denver is also home to the premier Cherry Creek Shopping Center featuring 160 stores including Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and others. In just the last handful of years, Cherry Creek has seen over 40 projects either completed or under construction. The future of Cherry Creek focuses on urban development and more amenities, apartments, and homes.

Cherry Creek's Location

Located near the geographic center of the ever-popular Denver, Colorado is this booming town that flawlessly blends tree-lined, residential streets with dense urban development. The lovely Cherry Creek neighborhood Denver gets its name from the actual Cherry Creek, which runs along the southern end of the neighborhood. Here you will find historic Denver homes blended with newer residential pockets, creating a unique housing environment welcoming to all ages.

Cherry Creek is situated east of University Boulevard and west of Colorado Boulevard, providing easy connection from the I-25. In addition to these two primary connections, more major traffic arteries run through Cherry Creek, making it a prime neighborhood for anyone who commutes with a vehicle. Speer Boulevard, a major street that runs from Downtown Denver, comes through Cherry Creek as East First Avenue.

There are two main shopping centers in Cherry Creek along East First Avenue. The first is Cherry Creek Shopping Center, an enclosed, upscale shopping mall. Running along East First, Second, and Third Avenues, you will find the second main shopping area of Cherry Creek North. Aside from these two commercial centers, the majority of the Cherry Creek neighborhood, Denver is primarily residential.

However, there is commercial development in the area. Cherry Creek North houses a 16-block neighborhood home to countless nationally recognized brands and locally-owned businesses. The Fillmore Plaza, found in this area, houses multiple community events throughout the year, including the neighborhood’s most popular Cherry Creek Arts Festival and Cherry Creek North Food & Wine in the summer.

A Great Place to Raise a Family

Cherry Creek is a beautiful place to raise kids with proximity to parks and above average public schools like Bromwell Elementary School. The neighborhood is also home to kid-favorites like Great Play of Cherry Creek, a fantastic children's amusement center. There's also a play area for kids at the new Rocky Mountain Play Park inside the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Kids are delighted by Looney Tune characters enjoying Rocky Mountain outdoor activities like hiking and climbing. When playtime is over, there's a multi-screen movie theater inside the shopping center with a selection of family-friendly movies.

Cherry Creek's Demographics

Over 8,100 people call Cherry Creek home with a nearly even ratio of male to female residents, 50.08% male and 49.93% female. Cherry Creek is a Denver neighborhood, and while it is inviting to your professionals, it is also an excellent place for families and senior citizens.

The majority of Cherry Creek residents fall within the 30 to 40-year-old age bracket, with a median age of 37-years-old. There is a good blend of family and non-family households in Cherry Creek, though it’s also home to many young professionals today. With over 4,300 households in the neighborhood, 35.46% belong to families and 64.57% belong to non-family households.

Cherry Creek's Walk Score

Cherry Creek is a walker’s paradise, touting a walk score of 80. Such high walkability makes it an attractive option for young professionals and seniors looking to retire near the action. With 11 colleges and universities in the Denver region, you’ll also see plenty of college students.

Although the area has such an excellent walk score, vehicles are still the preferred method of transportation due to Denver’s overall density. Otherwise, many residents of Cherry Creek take to public transit, which has multiple options and stops located within this neighborhood.

Average Rent in Cherry Creek

Denver’s average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,498, while a two-bedroom is $1,835. However, you should expect to pay more for an apartment in the highly sought-after Denver Cherry Creek. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Cherry Creek is $2,467, while the average for a two-bedroom apartment is $4,914.

Since rent and cost of living prices have steadily increased in the Denver since late July of 2021, it’s no surprise this trend has followed in Cherry Creek as well.

Cherry Creek's Transportation

Several major streets stretch through Cherry Creek, including Colorado Boulevard, 1st Avenue that continues on from Speer, University Boulevard and 6th Avenue. Most residents walk, bike, drive, or get a ride share from Lyft or Uber around Cherry Creek.

However, there are other options available. Locals also love biking down the Cherry Creek Trail traveling all the way to downtown Denver and beyond. You can rent a bike at one of the neighborhood's Denver B-cycle stations at 3rd Street and Milwaukee or Cherry Creek North Drive at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Denver's public RTD (Regional Transportation District) connects through Cherry Creek throughout the day for quick access around the city.

Is Cherry Creek Safe?

Since Cherry Creek neighborhood Denver is one of the more affluent areas in the city, with the highest rent rates to match, you can anticipate feeling very safe in this neighborhood.

According to Best Places, the rating for violent and property crimes falls well below the national averages. On a ranking system of 1 to 100, with 100 being an extremely high crime rate, Cherry Creek has a violent crime rate of 11.4 compared to the national average of 22.7. Similarly, the property crime rate of Cherry Creek is 30.7, compared to the national average of 35.4.

With such excellent crime ratings paired with equally good walk scores, you can walk around any time of day without fear.

Cherry Creek also takes its crime ratings very seriously, with the Cherry Creek crime report updated multiple times per week. Here you can quickly see the latest crimes in the area, comparisons with neighboring areas, areas with the highest reported crimes, and monthly crime reports.

Whether you are a young professional or a family looking to move somewhere it is safe to walk home from work at night, Cherry Creek is a great option.

Cherry Creek's Major Employers

Denver is a major metropolitan city, andt ten of the Fortune 500 top companies in the country call Denver home. Specifically, Cherry Creek has the home headquarters of eight different companies.

The top employers in the Cherry Creek, Denver area include Dish Network, Newmont, Liberty, Liberty Global, Western Union, CH2M HILL, Ball, and Qest Communications Headquarters.

Cherry Creek is an excellent place for any young professional looking to advance their career with a location centralized in the city. Outside of the significant Fortune 500 companies, there are countless other employment opportunities, including those by the University of Denver and the University of Colorado-Denver.

Unfortunately, Denver suffered a dip in employment during the pandemic. However, growth and development are still relatively strong. Compared to similar-sized cities, Denver has a healthier job market with an index score of 7.6 out of 10. The unemployment rate of 7.5% in Denver is 0.6% lower than the national average. As conditions continue to ease, the job market is expected to gain speed.

Things to Do in Cherry Creek

Join a Festival

The Cherry Creek art and culture scene make it the ideal place to host festivals. The annual Cherry Creeks Art Festival features interactive activities, live music and concerts, culinary exhibitions, and scores of artwork on display. Locals come out to support the arts and have fun over three days in July. The festival’s motto is "Art for Everyone," and the festival hosts work to raise more awareness and funding for arts education.

Go Shopping in Cherry Creek

The Cherry Creek Shopping Center is the place to be, whether you're looking for a bite to eat or new hiking boots. Pick up everything you need for your new Cherry Creek apartment at the center's Crate and Barrel and Room and Board. For groceries, locals shop at nearby Whole Foods or specialty shops like the Truffle Cheese Shop. The latter also boasts a sister restaurant in the LoHi neighborhood called The Truffle Table.

Place to Eat & Drink in Cherry Creek, Denver

Cherry Creek, Denver is among the best neighborhoods in the city with restaurants and pubs to match. Beyond The Cherry Creek Shopping Center, one of the local favorites is the long-standing Barolo Grill, which has excellent black truffle risotto and braised duck. For hand-made dumplings and noodles, Fortune Wok to Table, serves up fresh and organic dishes that locals love.

You’ll have no trouble finding watering holes and micropubs around Denver. Cherry Hill is home to the Grind Kitchen & Watering Hole. which boasts seasonal dishes with a southern flare and bottomless Bloody Mary's at weekend brunch. Beer and burgers are the draw at The Cherry Cricket with unique toppings like herb cream cheese and peanut butter.

For a unique experience, the relatively new Forget Me Not serves up one-of-a-kind cocktails. This former flower shop turned floral-inspired bar offers unique spritzes and patio seating. Or grab a drink on the elevated rooftop bar at the Denver Halcyon Hotel in Cherry Creek for cocktails, wine, and craft beer.

Is Cherry Creek Right For You?

Denver’s cozy Cherry Creek neighborhood is known for its luxury duplexes and townhomes. Young professionals will feel right at home in Cherry Creek, as well as well-established families looking to settle into an urban lifestyle without compromising safety.

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